1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to safety and protective devices for electrical plugs, and particularly to a locking device for electrical plugs in order to prevent unauthorized taking or use of the appliance or device to which the plug is attached, e.g., by thieves, vandals, children, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Power tools, electrical appliances and the like are generally specialized and expensive articles, thus making them desirable targets for thieves. Portable items, such as power tools, are particularly likely to be stolen, due to their size and portable natures. Thus, in order to protect the tools from theft, a locking device of some sort must be employed in order to prevent theft, but still allow authorized users to remove the tools from their secure locations. Further, such tools, appliances and similar articles are also vulnerable to use by unauthorized users, such as those without proper safety training or children. In order to prevent theft and unauthorized use, locking devices that engage the prongs of the power cord have been utilized.
Some such locking devices include locking caps, which fit over individual plug heads, covering the prongs and thus preventing the prongs from being plugged into electrical sockets. Such devices, however, are generally only suitable for covering a single plug and, due to their small size, would not present a great deterrent to theft. Larger locking devices often include a long rod provided within a housing for engaging the holes formed in power cord prongs. In order to release the power cords, the rod is removed from the housing. Although such devices offer protection from theft and unauthorized users, the lock, the rod and the housing must all be separated in order to release the power cords. These parts can easily become separated, lost or misaligned, thus preventing the system from being effective in theft prevention and safety promotion. Further, removing the rod from the housing requires freeing all of the plugs at once, even if the user only desires to remove a single plug. Thus, a locking device for electrical plugs solving the aforementioned problems is desired.